15% Off Anything From MrBead!

Key code MOONSTONE in the box at checkout to receive 15% off anything in our bead shop. Not valid with any other discount, and minimum purchase is £12 or $18. Use NOW as offer ends Friday 28th April 2017.

Or key FREEPOST in checkout at any time for free shipping on UK orders over £30 at MrBead.co.uk

MrBead Spring UK Bead Fairs

I’m writing this at a Kowloon hotel back in Hong Kong, after we sent over 650 kgs of new beads from China to Norwich. A few we will carry so they’re available right away at our bead fairs.

Visit us in the UK this spring, say you’re a MrBead Newsletter reader and receive a free gift and a gold & black MrBead bag!

This week its 29c and sun every day in Hong Kong. Yesterday I was swimming in the sea at Lamma Island before a beach-side BBQ.

This evening we’ll have another seafood dinner in Temple Street night market before we fly back to the UK ready for Beads Up North.

We market for beaders making jewellery, rather than selling ready-made jewellery – so to attract your customers, you may need to market yourself. However, we’re just looking for a small contribution towards costs. If interested, email Nigel at nigel@MrBead.com

Magical Moonstone: May’s gemstone

Moonstone is nature’s treasure with a sensuous and seductive charm. The characteristic feature is its magical play of light.

Moonstone is translucent, and softens the light shining through it to give a pearly moon-like glow which appears different whenever the stone changes position. Years ago, it was thought to be brought upon by the moon’s phases. This shimmering affect is caused by light being refracted inside the stone.

ColoursMoonstone comes in colourless, white, grey, and subtle yellow, but always has a blue or white sheen. Rainbow moonstone is colourless with a blue sheen and a rainbow-like array of colours.

Moonstone folkloreMuch mystery surrounds this stone. In India it’s considered sacred to lovers, and is also known as a “dream stone” bringing beautiful dreams.

In Arab countries women often were moonstone sewn into their garment as a symbol of fertility. It was also believed to be especially protective to seafarers, who have been using it since ancient times. During full-moon, moonstone is very powerful for reconciling love – and as the moon decreases, is said to allow one to foretell the future.

A feminine stone for female issues and the inner-child, but also used by men who want to reach their feminine side. Moonstone brings confidence, calms the emotions, and aids spirituality, intuition, and clairvoyance.

Also thought to protect against fever, fluid-retention and urinary problems. Its soft shine supports the emotional and dreamy side of a person. Wearing moonstone will also increase your sensitivity for others.

Natural moonstoneClassical moonstone from Sri Lanka shimmers pale blue and is expensive. Moonstone from India has a cloud-like plays of light on beige, brown, green, or orange backgrounds – and some have a cat’s eye or a multi-rayed star.

Uncut moonstone is dull and lacks the play of light. This is brought out by the cutter’s skills, who must locate the stone’s axis. Classical moonstones are always cut as cabochons.

ValueThe more intense the colour, the larger and more transparent the stone, the more valuable is the gem. Top quality fine blue moonstone shows an incredible “three-dimensional” depth of colour, which you will see clearly only when tilting. Such specimens are rare and expensive. Brighter coloured Indian moonstones are usually less expensive, so are opalite moonstone.

Opalite moonstoneOpalite moonstone is most common today. This is a synthetic stone with even more blue shimmer than genuine moonstone, that’s only been around recently.

Against a light background, it appears milky white, shimmering golden faint lilac-blue and other colours. Against a darker background, it changes to a bright icy blue with the highlights altering to intense oranges and reds. The stone practically glows on its own, and demands attention by outshining all around.

Its pastel glow is soft and captivating, complimenting other light-coloured stones like lilac amethyst, blue chalcedony, and rose quartz. It also loves to compete with wild bright colours like reds and turquoise. This flamboyance makes opalite ideal to wear during a night out on the town.

Looking after moonstone
All moonstone is fragile and should be handled carefully. However, a jeweller can polish a dulled moonstone back to its original glory.

Labradorite Beads Make Popular Jewellery

Labradorite is a very popular semi-precious stone in 2017. It’s is a feldspar, an abundant crystallized rock that develops in metamorphic stone. The natural iridescence flashes a rainbow of colours producing very-attractive jewellery that craves attention.

Labradorite is a transformational stone that naturally heals and balances the aura. It shields the aura, protecting your consciousness and your body from foreign influences, especially during vulnerable growth phases and intense transitions. Labradorite resonates with spiritual mystery and is the companion stone of the modern mystic.

A cheaper bead to natural laradorite is Mystic Crystal: a manmade alternative with similar iridescence, producing a striking effect when lit. Although we don’t have any in the MrBead shop, we do have a range on show at our UK bead fairs. However, we do stock a lot of opalite moonstone which is very much alike – see below: